These Chocolate Sugared Donuts are light and fluffy cocoa clouds! Coated in a delicious cocoa sugar mixture, these sweet treats are extra unique! Don't let their beautiful appearance fool you; they're so simple to make, no mixer is used at all! The batter comes together with just a whisk in less than one hour! If that wasn't enough, these chocolate donuts are gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan!
Unlike my decadent Baked Chocolate Donuts, these Chocolate Sugared Donuts have a mild richness and a lovely sweetness. The cake of these chocolate cake donuts is soft and airy, making them the perfect light treat!
For more donuts, check out my Cinnamon Sugar Donuts, my Maple Donuts, my Baked Apple Cider Donuts and my Glazed Chocolate Donuts.
Reasons to Love These Donuts
- Allergy Friendly- These donuts are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Light- These donuts are so airy!
- Double the Chocolate- These donuts are get their color and flavor from using two different types of cocoa powders.
- Cocoa Sugar- These baked donuts are dipped in butter or vegan baking stick and then dunked in two coats of cocoa sugar!
- Easy to Make- The batter mixes up with a whisk; no mixer is used at all!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you have nut allergies, use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Cocoa Powders- I love using two types to give the donuts a dark color and stronger flavor, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark alone as the donuts will be too dry and bitter.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless donuts so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Light Brown Sugar- Using light brown sugar gives the donuts the softness we need to offset the dryness from the cocoa powders and lack of eggs.
- Butter/Vegan Baking Sticks- In this recipe we actually used melted! Make sure to cool it a bit before adding it to the wet ingredients.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How To Make These into Vegan Donuts
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
For Regular All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ⅔ cups of packed AP Flour (280 grams).
- Use ⅓ cup packed cocoa powder (38.6 grams).
- Only use 1 ¼ cups of milk (295.73 ml).
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Chocolate Sugared Donuts
Here are the step by step instructions to make these baked chocolate donuts!
Step 1: Mix The Dry Ingredients
Firstly, in a large bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, light brown sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder.
Once sifted, whisk in the kosher salt until everything is combined. Set aside.
Sifting is important otherwise you will have clumps of light brown sugar.
Step 2: Melt the Butter
Microwave the butter in 11 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: Make The Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 4: Mix The Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cornstarch water and pure vanilla extract until combined.
While whisking, slowly pour the cooled melted butter a little at a time into the other liquid ingredients.
Step 5: Mix Wet Ingredients Into Dry
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
Step 6: Fill the Donut Pans
Then, put the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top.
Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
Step 7: Bake and Cool
Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back when gently touched.
Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out.
Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet or parchment paper underneath.
Step 8: Melt the Butter for the Topping
Microwave butter in 11 second increments, stirring after each time, until the butter is melted. Set aside.
Step 9: Make the Cocoa Sugar
In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and the teaspoon of cocoa powder until combined.
Step 10: Dip the Donuts
Working quickly, take 1 donut and dip it in the melted butter.
Then immediately put the donut into the cocoa powder sugar mixture and coat all over.
Place each finished donut on a cooling rack with the baking sheet underneath (to prevent a big mess). Repeat these steps with the rest of the donuts.
Step 11: Dip Donuts in Cocoa Sugar Again
Once each donut is coated, dip each donut again in just the cocoa powder sugar.
Do not re-dip in the melted butter.
Dipping a second time will really coat the entire donut. You can see the difference in the images.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups o flour, however when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups or please read the gram amount.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the donuts their dark hue. Although, if you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. Please do not use dark alone; it will make your donuts too chalky, dry and bitter. And like the flour, use packed cups of cocoa powder or read the gram amount.
- Mix in the Butter Slowly- When pouring the melted butter into the milk, do this a little bit at a time while whisking. This way the butter won't form large chunks in the cold milk. If you have small chunks, that's fine and they will melt while baking.
- Smoothing The Batter- Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. If you leave it misshapen after put it into the donut pans, that’s how they will remain when baked. When the batter is in the donut pans, gently smooth the top with a butter knife or the back or a small spoon.
- Pipe The Batter- You could use a spoon to put the batter in the greased donut pans but it is much easier to pipe the batter in. No piping bag? No worries! Simply put all the batter in a gallon size zip top bag and snip off a corner. Pipe the batter into the donut wells and fill almost to the top of each well.
Recipe FAQs
These donuts are best the first day but yes you can make them the night before.
Please see my FAQ on storage for how to prevent them from getting wet overnight.
No.
If you don’t have both types of cocoa powders on hand, just use dutch or natural unsweetened; using dark alone will make the donuts too dry. If only using natural unsweetened, keep in mind the donuts won’t be as dark as mine are.
It makes 12 regular size donuts.
Storing: Once the donuts have cooled completely, individually wrap them each in aluminum foil. Try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the sugar as much.
Store them wrapped in foil at room temperature for up to two days. Do not store in an air tight container as it makes the cocoa sugar get very wet.
Freezing: Once the donuts have cooled completely, wrap them each in aluminum foil as instructed above. Pop them in a zip top bag and freeze the donuts for up to 30 days. To defrost, take them out of the freezer and leave at room temperature until soft; about 2 hours.
Other Chocolate Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Sugared Donuts
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 ⅔ cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (I fill the ⅓ cup halfway with dutch or natural unsweetened cocoa powder and the rest with dark cocoa powder)
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar , packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted and cooled
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Topping
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (I use ½ teaspoon dutch or natural unsweetened and ½ teaspoon dark)
Instructions
For the Donuts
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 donut pan wells with vegetable oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the 1 ⅔ cups of multipurpose gluten free flour, the ⅓ cup cocoa powder, 1 ½ cups light brown sugar and 2 teaspoons baking powder.Sifting is important otherwise you will have clumps of brown sugar.
- Once sifted, whisk in the ½ teaspoon kosher salt and combine. Set aside.
- Put the 2 tablespoons of butter or vegan baking stick in a small heat safe bowl. Microwave in 11 second increments until melted. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups milk, cornstarch water and 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract until combined.
- While whisking, slowly pour the cooled melted butter a little at a time into the other liquid ingredients.Make sure the melted butter isn't hot because if you pour hot butter into the cold milk, it will create large chunks. If there are tiny little chunks, that's ok.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a whisk to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to using a spatula.
- Put all the batter into a piping bag or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the greased donut pans and fill to almost the top of each well.You can also spoon the batter into the donut pans.
- Smooth the batter with a tiny knife or the back of a small spoon.
- Bake the donuts in the center rack of the 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. The donuts should be risen and spring back at you when gently touched.Note: If you gently poke the donuts and a dent forms, they're not done baking. You can also insert a toothpick and make sure it comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes before taking them out. If you try to take them out too soon, they will stick and break apart into a giant mess. Once 5 minutes is up, use a small spatula to loosen them from the pan.
- Place the donuts on a cooling rack with a baking sheet or parchment paper underneath. The next part is a bit messy.
For the Topping
- Put the ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick in a medium heat safe bowl.
- Microwave in 11 second increments, stirring after each time, until the butter is melted. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder until combined.
- Working quickly, take 1 donut and dip it in the melted butter or vegan baking stick. You don't want it submerged too long but you do want the entire donut coated on all sides.
- Immediately put the donut into the cocoa powder and sugar mixture and coat all over.
- Place each finished donut on a cooling rack with the baking sheet underneath (to prevent a big mess). Repeat these steps with the rest of the donuts.
- Once each donut is coated, dip each donut again (a 2nd time) in just the cocoa powder sugar. Do not re-dip in the melted butter.
JerriL
Excellent Recipe...
Husband who has the allergies and non-allergic teenagers ENJOYED!!!
Thank You for all your hard work and experience.
Lee
So glad thank you so so much!
Suki
just tried this recipe and it is incredible!! my partner is allergic to eggs and yeast so I have a difficult time finding recipes for yummy desserts without the two. I did use regular all-purpose flour, just one cup of sugar, and it all came out fine ☺️ I will say instead of dipping it in the sugar cocoa coating at the end, I sprinkled coconut flakes on top and boy was it amazing!
thank you so much for this recipe. I look forward to discovering more ❤️
Loralee
I think it is amazing that you are able to make so many great gluten and egg-free foods, AND that you are so generous to share your hard-won recipes.
Regarding this one, do you have any ideas for using this recipe without a donut pan? I don't really want to go buy one, as we really don't need to eat a lot of donuts... =D
Lee
Thank you so much!!! Yes you can use a regular muffin pan to make donuts but they will be slightly smaller than regular size donuts and may possibly cook for a little less time. Take a square of aluminum foil either 3x3 inches or 4x4 inches. Gently wrap the square around your middle or pointer finger. Then take that shape and gently press it into the muffin tin. Hope this helps!
Christine
These are so chocolatey and delicious! I especially love the crunch of the chocolate sugar on the outside.
Lee
Thanks so much!!!! So glad!
John
These donuts were a sugary chocolate explosion of flavor! I ate all of them with no uncontrollably!
Donna
Wish I'd discovered your website sooner! Looks like my daughter has the same anaphylactic allergies. I've learnt a lot & found some great recipes along the journey but not all on the one website before. Can I clarify your Tablespoon size please? When you say a heaping Tablespoon - I am in Australia & our Tablespoon is 20ml where many countries are 15ml. Do you have a gram measure I should use to make sure I use the right amount? I think special diet baking is less forgiving with no gluten or eggs etc. 😆 Thankyou for sharing! 🤗
Lee
Hi there! Thank you so much for the kindness! Yes, there is a gram measurement for the cornstarch! If you click the "metric" button in the recipe card the amounts in grams will come up. For the 2 heaping tablespoons it will say 26 grams. As for the water...yes 1 tablespoon is about 14.8 ml here, so about 44.4 ml of water. Hope this helps!